Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip have claimed the lives of at least 61 people over a span of 48 hours, according to medical sources on Saturday. The strikes come amid fierce battles between Israeli forces and Hamas-led militants in the region.
Now 11 months into the conflict, diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire and facilitate the release of hostages held in Gaza have yet to succeed. Despite numerous attempts from mediators like Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S., a breakthrough seems elusive. Israel continues to target militants, with airstrikes on two former schools housing displaced individuals in Gaza City and Jabalia, killing 12 people. In a separate strike on a house in Gaza City, five more were reported dead, contributing to a total of 28 fatalities on Saturday.
Militant groups, including Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Fatah, have responded with rocket and mortar fire, as well as attacks on Israeli tanks and vehicles. Both sides blame each other for the failed ceasefire talks, with the U.S. preparing a new proposal, though CIA Director William Burns noted that progress remains difficult due to the wide divide between the parties.
Meanwhile, mass protests have erupted in Israel, with tens of thousands demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu make a deal to release the remaining 101 hostages. The recent killing of six hostages, whose bodies were found in a Gaza tunnel, sparked widespread grief and anger.
In the midst of the conflict, U.N.-led efforts continue to vaccinate children in Gaza against polio, with health authorities reaching over half of the 640,000 children targeted for vaccination. Israel’s military actions, triggered by the Hamas attack on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the abduction of 250 hostages, have since killed more than 40,900 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry. The Palestinian reports do not differentiate between civilians and militants, though health officials claim the majority of casualties are civilians. Israel, which has lost 340 soldiers in the conflict, states that at least one-third of the Palestinian deaths are combatants.
